What's eating my beech hedge??
Last post 27-10-2009 5:03 PM by jaysgarden. 1 replies.
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27/10/2009 12:57 PM
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- sallya42
- Bristol
- 05 Aug 2009
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Can anyone tell me what's attacking my beech hedge? The end plant lost its leaves in the summer and now it's spreading to adjacent plants. The leaves developed small brown spots around the edges, turned yellow and dropped off. no new shoots came through. The stems still appear to be green inside, so I don't think the plant is completely dead. There doesn't appear to be any major insect activity,although some leaves do have some small white bugs on the underside. Will it recover, or is the whole hedge doomed?? Should I trim it back and hope for the best?
Sallya42
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27/10/2009 05:03 PM
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It could be the woolly beech aphid (Phyllaphis fagi)
This aphid has only a single host? beech. The woolly beech aphid gets its name because the body is covered with waxy wool-like filaments. These aphids are gregarious and tend to congregate primarily on the undersides of leaves. Often large numbers of the molting or cast ? skins? will be attached to leaf hairs, which gives the leaf a whitish appearance. The woolly beech aphid has piercing-sucking mouthparts, which are used to remove plant fluids and turn the leaves yellow.
A hard spray of soapy water will dislodge aphids and eggs from the tree without harming any natural enemies. Check the plant (under the leaves) next summer and spray if needed.
I would leave it, as it is still green, new growth will soon appear in spring. If any dead part remove.
There is also beech leaf mining weevil, you didn’t mention leaves with holes but worth knowing about with a beech hedge.
http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/t/23797.aspx
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